Tennessee Dental Wellbeing Measured

According to the reports from a health care advocacy group the Commonwealth Fund, about 20% of the adult population suffers from tooth decay, gum disease and infection, losing about 6-7 teeth.

According to the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only 66% visited a dental clinic in 2010. In 2009, more than 53000 visited a dental emergency section and 24000 out of this lot visited for a precautionary dental condition.

These numbers are not just related to teeth alone. Reports are that gum disease is linked to lung disease followed by heart disorders, babies with poor weight during birth and lastly diabetes. Tooth crumble causes pain and even death.

There is a 10% drop in the number of people visiting dentist in 2005 and 2010. Tennessee ranks at 47th in the nation, according to the behavioral risk survey and that’s only because there is a 55% increase in the count of those who lost at least 1 permanent tooth during this span.

Dearth of care

Access to adequate free dental services is a nationwide issue. Adults top the list. This is more common in rural areas where free dental care is still an issue. Lack of proper access to dental care means more people in dental emergency rooms.

Pew research says that in Tennessee, 53,574 people visited an emergency room for dental care in 2009 and 92 percent of them were adults.

Established conditions were cavities or abscesses. The number here speaks about the kind of affordable dental care available for the ones who are not much in advantage. Inpatient hospital treatment is 10 times more to treatment in dental clinic. Emergency rooms are expensive place and add to the country’s budget pressure all the more.